UPDATED: ‘Hartford Courant’ Sued for Plagiarism by Local Competitor

The Hartford Courant is being sued by a smaller, family-owned newspaper that is seeking damages for what it calls repeated plagiarism.

The Journal Inquirer of Manchester sued Thursday in Hartford Superior Court. It accuses the Courant of taking at least 11 stories in August and September and wrongly attributing them as its own work.

The Journal Inquirer is seeking undisclosed damages over alleged violations of federal copyright law and the Connecticut unfair trade practices act.

Messages were left Thursday for Courant publisher Richard Graziano and Editor Naedine Hazell.

[Chris Powell, managing editor of the Journal Inquirer, said even though the plagiarism had stopped, his paper wanted to seek compensation for what he considered ?a long pattern of anti-competitive practices….This plagiarism is the most extensive misconduct yet,? Powell told E&P. ?It is acknowledged by the other side and in violation of federal copyright law and the Connecticut unfair trade practices act.?]

The state’s largest newspaper has cut its newsroom by half because of the recession and sagging advertising revenue. The newspaper is owned by the Chicago-based Tribune Co.